Territory
by Macx
Summary: Erik and Charles are settling into their relationship, but with the arrival of Logan, Erik's instincts go haywire and in overprotective mode. It doesn't help that Charles, his Charles!, is interested in the intruder's mutation. Rat and Shark AU


TITLE: Territory  
>Shifter verse<br>sequel to There's More Than One of Everything  
>AUTHOR: Macx<br>RATING: R  
>DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)<br>FEEDBACK: Loved  
>BETA: elfin<p>

I wrote another story in this AU! Who knew?

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Erik Lehnsherr, for all his civilized behavior, was still a shark, a predator, and with it not only territorial but also prone to displays of aggression. Shaw had used that to his advantage right from the day the boy had come into his possession.

That's what Erik had been: a possession.

His freedom had brought him a lone existence, but at least it had been his own life. He controlled every aspect of it. He came and went whenever he wanted to; he answered to nobody.

Until Charles Xavier had entered into the equation; and stayed.

Before the other man had more or less run him over and inserted himself neatly into a Charles-shaped hole in his life, one Erik had not even been aware was there. Erik had taken his temper to the ocean, letting the shark roam and be among the other sea creatures. Sometimes he stayed in the cold waters for days, sometimes weeks, exploring the deep. He hunted like the others. He was never threatened, though challenged on occasion.

It had been a simple, straight-forward existence.

With Charles a calmness had settled over him that had everything to do with the taming effect the other Shifter had on him, and nothing at all with 'mellowing at old age', as Charles sometimes teased him.

While Charles was effectively a landbound prey animal, he was so much stronger than anyone Erik had ever met. His little rat was a class one telepath and Omega Cursed. His abilities were incredible and they were still growing. Erik felt an insane pride at the strength this man showed, at what he could do, what he was. He might be a forest rat and as such prey to a Shark, but Charles was anything but weak and at Erik's mercy. His defense was his mind, and that was a formidable weapon.

The list of his talents was long and impressive, starting with telepathy and memory alterations, to mental bolts, illusion casting and the ability to induce paralysis in another body. He could effectively freeze another person, lock their muscles down.

No, Charles wasn't weak. Anyone who judged him by his appearance was in for a surprise, like Erik had been. He had underestimated Charles from the beginning and he had been taught a lesson.

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Leaving his house - a place where Erik had spent a few years and that had never been home, moving to the Westchester mansion – it hadn't been such a difficult step. He had actually suggested it after two attacks on Charles at Erik's place. The Xavier manor was gigantic, stretching endlessly, it seemed. Three floors, a basement that went deeper than just one storey, and a few added buildings that had, in the long-gone past, been for the servants' quarters.

No one had lived in the house for a long, long time.

"I left for college and university," Charles had told him as they had explored the silent building. "My mother had already passed away. I hadn't heard from my step-father until after graduation. He had died and left everything to me."

The words had been without emotions, like relaying a story someone else had told him.

"I came back here to close everything down. Then I went looking for those we call Cursed."

"And ended up at my place."

"After a while." The smile had been wistful.

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They had found a perfect room for them, large and with a balcony and a perfect view of the ocean. Erik had little he called his own and Charles' possessions mainly consisted of books. Everything else in here looked expensive and old, but nothing seemed to belong to anyone personally.

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Charles had made the decision to clean out the manor. In the beginning they had removed the sheets covering the many furniture pieces. Erik had been appalled at the state the plumbing and electricity had been in. His metalbending ability had come in handy here and while he had grumbled and groused and complained that he was used as a handyman, he hadn't stopped helping Charles.

But they couldn't do it all alone, and hired help had to be called. It took the men two months and Charles paid them handsomely. He also wiped their minds of anything that might arouse suspicion as to what they were planning here. The mansion was an hour away from the nearest town and officially Charles was opening a school for gifted children, but who knew what might leak?

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It took Erik six months to find out just how Charles' mother had died. Charles told him over a game of chess, voice quiet, distant, eyes on the board. It was a cold evening, the winter storms howling around the manor. It was raining and soon it would turn to snow.

Charles' mother had found happiness at the bottom of a bottle. Any bottle. All day, all night. For years. When she also turned to other substances it was what killed her in the end.

His step-father had died of cancer. Charles hadn't mourned his loss. He had never known his father.

There went his belief that Charles had had such a happy childhood, pampered and missing nothing. Every wish catered to, never hungry, never thirsty, never feeling only cold and alone. Physically he hadn't suffered; his mind had been a different matter.

"Tell me everything," Erik only said.

Charles' eyes were bottomless blue pools in a pale, drawn face. He looked young, vulnerable, like everything had just happened and he was a teenager again who couldn't understand. Even back then, as a telepath, he hadn't been able to comprehend his losses.

But he showed Erik, opening his mind, giving him access like never before. To a childhood spent lacking nothing but missing everything. Discovering he was a Shifter when he hit puberty. Sharing his pain only with Raven when she came to live at the mansion. His mother had never questioned the sudden appearance of an adopted girl. She had simply nodded and waved Charles off.

Erik held him, held the hurt soul, soothed him gently.

No, they weren't that much different.

Charles was exhausted when he finally stepped back out of the close mind contact. The Shark held him, felt him shake, and he steered him to bed, stripping him off with cool efficiency. He made Charles drink a large Scotch, letting the strong alcohol warm him.

"Thank you," he said calmly; honestly. It got him a thin smile. "Not what you expected."

"With you, it never is." Erik kissed the pale forehead.

Charles fell asleep curled up to him. Erik was awake for a long, long time, listening to the howling storm.

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Then a Cursed called Logan arrived. No full name; just Logan. He came while Erik was out in the ocean, swimming, following the need of his waterbound form to be in his natural element. After weeks on land, the Shark had wanted out. Charles had actually shooed him off and told him to get it out of his system.

He had.

Only to run into Logan when he had returned.

From the moment he had caught sight of the man, Erik had been on edge. Logan was smaller than him, broad-shouldered, muscular, with long sideburns, dark, messy hair, swift blue eyes and the stance of a bull fighter. From the way he looked, Erik would have suspected him to be a landbound Shifter, but Logan wasn't. His mutation wasn't physical in that way.

Erik had gnashed his teeth at the bright-eyed explanation of his lover and fellow Shifter that Logan was a mutant of fascinating powers. He was apparently able to heal from any kind of injury, fatal or not, he regenerated fast, and he had retractable bone claws that came out of his knuckles. He had very animalistic tendencies, a keen sense of hearing, smell and sight, and he was clearly a loner.

Like Erik had been.

Before Charles.

And now Charles was spending a lot of time with the other Cursed, documenting him.

"You, my friend, are jealous."

The remark had Erik want to throw the smaller man against the wall and show him who he belonged to. Instead a metal fixture crumbled off the wall in pieces.

His human side was appalled, his Shark egged him on to do it. He was drawn between two very strong sides and neither was about to give in. He wasn't an animal, like the one he suspected Logan truly was.

Erik fought down the aggression and hissed a curse. "What does he want?" he demanded.

"He wants to know who he is, Erik."

The Shark blinked. "What?"

"He doesn't know his name. He doesn't know his family, his date of birth, where he was born… anything at all."

Erik blinked. "Why?"

"Apparently you and him, you share a common past." Charles' eyes filled with sadness, with shared pain. "You were taken away by Shaw, he was discovered by a man called William Stryker. Apparently Stryker used his natural gift to shape him into the perfect weapon. And he erased his past in the process."

"So you have a new project?" Erik spat, feeling the jealousy rise. "Want to find out who he is?"

This time the lamp on the desk suffered, crumbling into itself as if someone had stepped down on it.

Charles gave him this quizzical look that made Erik want to kiss him senseless. He wanted to claim him, wanted to love him, wanted to run his hands over him and never let him go.

His lover was suddenly right there, in front of him. Hands slid around his waist, pulled him close, then Charles lightly bit his neck.

It sent sparks through Erik and the Shark roared in approval, wanted more, wanted to take over and take…

He fought it, hands digging into Charles' clothes, and he kissed him, hard and demanding, teeth against teeth, nipping at the red lips.

::I'm yours, Erik:: the telepath murmured. ::Only yours::

His lover, his partner, his adorable little rat. His!

Charles sent amusement at that, clearly aware how different they were as Shifters. They came from different worlds, as humans as well as as Shifters, but they fitted. Perfectly.

::And you're mine:: Charles continued, holding the granite eyes.

Because he had established the link. He had bound himself to Erik in a way that would seriously backlash should he cut the connection. He was as committed to this relationship as Erik was.

The Shark framed the smooth face with his hands, gazed into the deep blue eyes. Ocean blue. His element. His lover. His Charles.

::He is a lost soul:: Charles told him. ::With a more violent past than yours, Erik. But he isn't your replacement and never will be. He can't be. You're unique and you're perfect for me.::

He rested his forehead against Charles', the words burying under his skin. The Shark was still tense, still wanted to mark, wanted to take back what he believed Logan had taken from him. But Charles wasn't interested, his logical, human side said.

The next kiss was gentler, but no less possessive. His mind reached out for the door and locked it, the metal following his command. Charles' belt was already opening. Erik deftly stripped the smaller man of his clothes to get to the warm skin, drawing a soft, appreciative noises from his lover.

_Mine_, he thought. _Mine_

All of this. Forever.

Charles suggested the bed, but that was in another room. The desk would have to do. And looking at the man, partially unclothed, looking debauched and so perfect spread out on the table, Erik knew he could never give this up. Half out of his shirt, pants open…

_Love you_, he thought, aware that it was passing through their connection.

Kissing a slow path down south, listening to Charles' breathy encouragement, Erik shoved Logan into the back of his mind.

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Logan dared to grin at him when they met outside the manor, nostrils widening as if he was taking in his scent. Erik stared coldly at him, refusing to rise to the bait. He was hyper-aware of Charles close to him.

"Don't worry, bub. Not interested in your little plaything."

That almost did it. Red edged in on his vision and the metal around him sang, ready to be at his beck and call. He could so easily use the gardening tools to kill this man, cut his throat, sever the spine… Erik felt Charles' touch as he kept him calm. He so badly wanted to rip the other man's throat out for calling Charles a 'plaything'.

Logan laughed.

He laughed!

"Logan," Charles only chastised, shaking his head.

"Easy to push his buttons. Pred Shifters are short-tempered. He's a Shark. He's a killer." Logan grinned. "Quite a catch, Professor. You like to live dangerously."

Roofing nails shot out of tin cans and ripped from boards, creating a deadly storm that was close to tearing into Logan.

"Hm, impressive." The other man eyed the metal shards. "Omega Cursed, hm? I like him."

Erik stared after him as he left, growling softly. Charles gave him a smile.

"He's not trying anything, Erik."

"How would you know?" he demanded angrily, flinging the metal shards into the wall where they left deep grooves.

And wanted to hit himself afterwards. Of course he knew. Charles was a fucking telepath!

"I didn't read him, Erik. Logan has a curious natural defense against telepathic reading. It's hard to get a good impression of him."

"Then how…?"

"Because he told me he respects your territory and I'm not his type." Charles was almost laughing.

Erik snarled softly, hackles still up, still feeling like he wanted to tear into the other man and show him where the line was drawn.

"He also mentioned I reek of you," Charles added conversationally.

Gray eyes flared.

"I believe it was a compliment."

Logan had smelled him on Charles. While the Shark preened and wanted to wrap himself around his lover, the human side was uneasy.

"Logan has very keen senses."

And his rat sounded so damned impressed. Erik had accepted how curious Charles was about every form of the Curse, the mutations. It had never drawn this much jealousy from him either. Logan was… Logan was an opponent. He wasn't an enemy, but he was dangerous and Charles was interested in him.

"Erik, really," came the soft chastise. "Not in any such way."

"Stop reading me!"

"You're actually blasting your anger all over me. I can't ignore it."

"Then shield!" he snapped angrily.

"Why should I? You're irrationally jealous. He's no competition. He's also not my type, either."

Erik felt like hitting something, preferably Logan, but the other Cursed wasn't around.

And he would never attack Charles in any way.

But he was seeing red and his muscles needed to release their tension. His feral side was too close to the surface. Fight or flight. He couldn't fight anything, so he needed to take himself away from here. Into the sea.

Charles didn't stop him, a knowing expression in his eyes. He could have stopped Erik easily; just one thought. It wasn't his nature.

Erik stripped angrily, then Shifted and simply took to the ocean. The cold water enveloped his streamlined body, closing around him like a blanket, and he let himself sink into the shark side, forgetting everything else as he swam.

Charles wasn't with him, either swimming or in his mind, drifting along.

He hated it.

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He returned by nightfall, swimming through the cove, undecided. He hadn't felt a blip from Charles, which had been unnerving, and while the swim had calmed him down, Logan was still there and with it the perceived threat to Charles.

Erik came out of the water, not feeling the cold. He was rather immune to it. Part and parcel of being who and what he was. He dressed and walked slowly back to the manor.

He felt the presence of another man close by and the briefly orange glow of a cigar alerted him to where the man was.

"Got it out of your system?" a voice drawled.

Logan.

Erik schooled his features, muscles already coiling. "What do you want?" he asked coldly.

"Nothing you have, shark. I don't want the telepath. Like I said, not my type. Don't want to end up as fish food either." He stepped into the soft light that spilled from the windows not far away. "Do you really think he'd betray you like that, bub?"

No, he didn't. Charles didn't have it in him to cheat. Erik glared at the smaller man for even suggesting something like that.

"He's yours, shark. I recognize it. And you better get your act together. I'm not the last alpha you'll meet."

Erik smiled coldly. "You're just a prime asshole, Logan."

The other man laughed, sounding genuinely amused. "Yeah, maybe. Anyway, when the Professor's done drooling over my Curse, I'm off. Northbound. Got a score to settle."

"With who?"

"Stryker. You already caught your nightmare. I'm still hunting mine." Logan took another pull from the cigar. The stub glowed brightly. "Gotta give it to the Professor, he leaves you with a positive impression of your Curse. Never had anyone look at me like this without assessing how to weaponize me. Already lost my memory and I'm sure I don't want it back." He grinned, a terrifying show of teeth. "Stryker's like Shaw was. A creator of terror and fear and pain."

"You are a trained killer."

"Got that right, bub." Logan unsheathed the bone claws on his right hand. "No idea how many I gutted with that before I got my mind back."

Erik tensed, the predator in him growling softly. These weapons had been around Charles…

"Was born with that. Partial curse, huh?" The bone claws snapped back, the broken skin healing immediately. "The Professor thinks it's beautiful." Logan smirked. "He gets to you. He appreciates you for who you are. Don't lose him."

With that he walked away, trailing a cloud of smoke. Erik stayed where he was, confused, angry, tense, relieved… so many emotions flitting through him. He had learned to interact with others in the past year, with the children and students, but Logan had thrown him in a loop.

He walked into the manor. Everything was silent. A few night owls were still in the common room, reading or playing something. They ignored him as he walked past. He went up the stairs and slipped into the room he shared with Charles. It was by far the largest bedroom he had ever seen, about the size of his former house's ground floor. Charles was in bed, curled up on one side, sleeping. He was wearing those silly, striped pajamas Erik kept ribbing him about. They were soft and fluffy and very luxurious. Charles hadn't worn anything like that when he had invaded Erik's life last summer and refused to leave. Now he had unearthed them from somewhere deep within a closet.

Heirlooms, he jokingly called them. Memories of a childhood that was different than anyone else might think. Ever since the first time Charles had opened his mind for his partner to see, Erik had slowly learned that behind the gentle, soft and curious face lay a man who consisted of a lot of layers that hid pain and tears and disappointment from an early age on. Someone who hadn't rolled in money and eaten with golden spoons. Money wasn't everything. Charles had missed out on love, just like Erik. Erik had been tortured and had suffered; Charles hadn't been tortured, but he had still suffered mentally.

Sometimes, he thought, they weren't that different at all. Charles had been alone when he had found out he was a Shifter, that his second form was a forest rat. He had been so scared, knowing from reading so many books on a million topics – alone in the library, never missed by his mother – what it meant.

Not just Cursed. Omega Cursed.

Erik quietly undressed and slid under the covers, looking at the smooth features of the man he loved.

A man who wouldn't betray him.

A man he trusted.

His jealousy was unfounded.

Charles murmured something and moved closer to him, sensing his presence, and Erik wrapped an arm around him, the pajama tops warm and soft against his cool skin.

_Sorry_, he thought.

He still had to learn. So much. Especially about living with this impossibly adorable, wonderfully warm and insanely talented man.

Erik buried his face against the soft hair, closing his eyes.

He dreamed of the sea that night, of swimming, as he often did. Like so many nights in the past year he wasn't alone. A rat in a diver's suit and a breathing helmet was there with him.

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Charles didn't mention his temper outbreak, but from the way he surrounded Erik's mind with a soft, gentle shield, it was clear he was trying to avoid another confrontation. Logan was still around. He didn't provoke Erik, but his presence was enough.

Erik took care of the sexual tension he felt by taking long swims. He didn't want to turn into some primal monster in Charles' eyes, always lusting after his body. And it was a great body to lust after… Charles kept in shape. No one would suspect firm muscles underneath his conservative way of dressing. Erik had been pleasantly surprised when they had slept together for the first time. He appreciated the slender form each and every time, the way Charles moved, the sounds he made…

He shook himself. He had been in control of his Shifter side for so long, but the other man had blown that to pieces. They had been together for about a year and he still felt threatened by the arrival of another strong mutant. The children weren't competition; they were only taught by Charles. Logan was an adult.

Erik chased a smaller shark who had dared come close. His teeth snapped viciously at the other hunter, nearly scraping over one fin. The shark shot away, smelling of fear.

The Shark felt satisfaction inside him.

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When he arrived at the beach this time, he was awaited by a forest rat sitting on a sun-warmed boulder. He knew who this creature was. It was like instinct. Just like Charles could tell him apart from other sharks. Of course, he was the telepath in their relationship. Erik called his own knowledge instinct.

The glossy fur shone in the sunlight and Charles radiated warmth. He looked like the fluffy furball Erik always called him, the white tip of his long tail between his front paws. Erik loved that tip. It held a strange kind of fascination for him.

"What are you doing here?" the Shark demanded as he sloshed out of the water.

::Enjoying a rare warm spring day:: came the lazy reply.

The rat rolled on his back, exposing a soft belly, looking very relaxed and at ease. Erik's fingers itched to run through the fur, pet Charles.

"Done with your new toy?" he snarled instead.

He wanted to shoot himself for it right away. His mouth was running away with him, his anger taking over once more.

Amusement trickled through the bond. ::He left::

_Good riddance!_ Erik only thought.

::Oh, Erik…:: The rat sat up. ::He was never competition and you know it.::

Erik did; the Shark didn't. The Shark wanted to maim and kill and…

He sank to the ground, running angry fingers through his wet hair. He had never had a partner, a lover, someone who belonged to him. Not as a possession; as an equal. He had claimed Charles, had left a mark on him, but this wasn't about that. It was about trust; and he trusted Charles. He did. But Logan…

Erik screwed his eyes shut. One year together… and still… There was no reason to think Logan would take Charles, or that Charles would let himself be taken. No reason at all!

Charles watched him, still in Shifter form. The connection between them was silent. Erik looked up, misery and pain reflecting in his eyes. The rat suddenly changed and in one fluid move Charles settled over Erik, pushing him flat on his back. Blue eyes, serious and intense, met turmoiled gray ones.

"I'm yours."

Erik felt a shiver run through him.

"I'm connected to your mind, Erik. And it's a wonderful place to be."

Good god, why did he have to talk like that? Why did he have to be so damn sexy and desirable and… edible! The Shark wanted to devour the man.

"There won't ever be someone else; anyone who might fit me the same way. Only you, Erik."

He wrapped a hand around the slender neck, pulled Charles down, kissing him hard. ::Stop doing this to me!::

::Not doing anything:: was the smug reply. ::All you::

Logan was no competition. The children were no competition. Actually, being around others helped him. He had been alone for too long. Charles grinned, looking smug and self-assured in a way that Erik found even more attractive.

"Told you."

Yes, he had. Erik had been the one to initiate the move to Westchester. He hadn't bargained on a house full of Cursed, though. Still, it was strangely comfortable. They respected him, some were still scared of the Shifter, but he was part of something good and big and wonderful.

Like Charles.

Charles, who was busy kissing a warm path down his chest. Charles, who was smug as hell and knew just what he was doing. Charles, who brought him off with a shaky cry, spilling into the hot mouth.

Gazing at the smaller man, watching him lick swollen lips, Erik knew he would always fight for him. Always. Against everything. He caught that sinful mouth, kissing Charles, hands finding the evidence of his lover's own arousal. He took care of that.

Slowly.

Torturously.

Using his considerable skill and clever fingers to find the right spot and have the other Shifter writhe and beg.

They lay together afterwards, Erik feeling the stirring of a new arousal as he spooned close to Charles. He didn't follow it, though. What he wanted to do was get his little rat away from here, somewhere solitary, no interruptions, and reaffirm their connection.

::Can't leave the children:: Charles murmured, turning to bury into the embrace of skin against skin.

No, he couldn't.

::At least not for a few days:: the landbound Shifter continued. ::How about a day?:: He grinned.

The Shark grinned back, wide and hungry. "You won't be able to walk after I'm done," he promised, hands sliding over Charles' lower back and toward his ass.

::Promises, promises..::

_Hell, Charles, don't do that!_ he thought as the words flowed through his mind, accompanied by the warmth and need and lust that was his partner.

Charles looked young, very young, as he laughed, so carefree and wonderful and beautiful… Like he had no obligations, no responsibilities. Erik caught images, very clear, highly arousing and unrestrained images. His breath caught at some of them.

And then his partner Shifted. From one moment to the next the chocolate brown forest rat appeared, black eyes filled with mischief, and he darted off.

A challenge was set.

Erik shot to his feet, the Shark in him out to hunt.

Damn, the little rat was fast!

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Everyone at the manor continued as normal, despite the fact that their two leaders were strangely missing. Raven had this knowing look in her yellow eyes. She didn't say anything, but the way she steered conversation away from Charles and Erik, everyone knew what was up.

Not everyone had caught on to the tension between Logan and Erik, but those who had, had been waiting for some kind of outbreak. That it came this way… better than a challenge fight. Logan was gone and Erik and Charles were taking care of matters their own way.

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In another room, not the regular one they shared, in an unused wing of the enormous manor, Charles found out just how well his partner could control metal, with how much finesse he wielded that power, and just how much pleasure it gave them both.

He looked into the untamed eyes of a Shark, surrendered to the possessive need, wrapped firmly around the strong, sharp mind. Erik mapped the smaller form, explored every square inch of skin, listening to every whisper and moan. Charles was wide open, his mind accessible and powerful, touching Erik in a way that humbled and elated him. He felt the incredible psychic force that lurked underneath the unsuspecting exterior, and his own mind was defenseless and weak and completely inadequate when compared to Charles'.

::You are more than my equal, Erik:: the telepath whispered. ::You are incredible!::

God, how he loved this man.

They lay together, feeling lazy and warm, Erik caressing the marks he had left on the pale skin. Nothing permanent, just reddened skin. Charles' imprint was on his mind, giving him a raw, open feeling that wasn't negative at all. It put him at his lover's mercy, but the Shark wasn't threatened by it. Charles, as he had said before, knew everything about him. Everything. No secrets, no lies. It was liberating, in a way.

Planting a sleepy kiss into the hollow of the other man's neck he tasted salt and sweat, and Charles smelled of the sea. Always. As if he was an extension of Erik's element, as if he belonged there as well.

Maybe he did. Maybe he always had, no matter what his Shifter form was.

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Raven smirked at them over coffee when they finally left the room to find something to eat. It was early morning, none of the children were up, and Raven was an early riser normally. Charles smiled back at her; Erik simply gave her a warning look. It had her grinning even harder.

Erik had wondered how Charles and Raven could be siblings, but his partner had explained to him that they weren't blood-related. Raven had grown up in the manor, an adopted sister who had been able to hide her demonic looks from the beginning by shifting her exterior to appear completely normal. Blond, brown-eyed, fair-skinned. Since Charles' mother had had no great interest in her genius level intelligent child and his step-father had always been away, the new 'sister' hadn't really raised many brows.

The Xaviers were both dead now, no other living blood relatives Charles knew of, and the manor belonged to Charles alone.

::All of us:: the telepath murmured. ::It's your home, too.::

A home. Erik wrapped an arm around his waist, kissing his temple. A year wasn't enough to understand this man. Charles was deeper than the ocean and Erik was lost in him.

Charles smiled and took a glass of orange juice. Erik decided on coffee, black and strong, and an equally strong breakfast that consisted of a lot of meat and eggs. Charles only chuckled, shook his head, and made himself a cereal. More inhabitants of the house trickled in, looking half awake or still asleep. Alex shot Charles a brief look, then grinned and elbowed Sean, who nearly spit out his food again.

"Stop it!" the young man complained.

A small fight over who had pushed who ensued and Erik deftly moved his plate before someone jostled it to the ground. In the end Sean won and Alex sulked, muttering something uncomplimentary.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Spring turned into summer, making it a full two years since Erik had first met Charles Xavier. They had never returned to the house he had lived in and he felt no inclination to do so. It was the past, a building he had used and discarded of. It held no meaning.

Anniversaries were meaningless to him. Omega Cursed lived long; no one knew how long, no one had ever kept track of them.

Still, on the day exactly a shark and a rat went out into the ocean, the rat clad in a diving suit. While Charles was perfectly capable of swimming in human form, it was easier when he was this small. Erik could easily pull his weight as a human, but the rat could ride on the gray-black back.

Erik swam along the coast line, careful not to lose his precious ride-along, and Charles enjoyed the underwater ride.

Later, when they lay in a sandy cove, both naked and sun-warmed, Charles smiled sleepily. Erik had his hands folded under his head, gazing at the brilliant blue sky.

He could stay here for a while. Nothing but them. Two years ago it would have been more than enough. Now Erik knew companionship, was used to the teenagers around him, had started to reluctantly teach.

It was fun.

It was strangely fulfilling.

The knowing look he got from Charles had him grimace.

"Told you," Charles said calmly, leaning over the prone man to kiss him. "They're good for you."

"You were. Still are."

The telepath traced random patterns on Erik's skin. He caught the playful fingers, resting their entwined hands against his stomach.

He had been lucky to find this man. So very, very lucky.

::Was lucky to find you:: Charles murmured sleepily. ::You were bloody hard to track down::

Erik chuckled. "I didn't want to be found. I also didn't figure on some tenacious little rat Shifter to end up invading my home and refusing to leave."

::You never told me to go.::

No, he hadn't. Not in so many words.

So here they were.

_Not bad_, Erik thought. _Not bad at all._

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Swimming home late in the afternoon, Erik didn't dive. Charles sat in front of his dorsal fin, tiny claws not strong enough to truly hurt the shark, but Erik felt the touch nevertheless, enjoying the warmth and the water. There were no waves, the ocean was smooth and calm, and only when they arrived at the cove where the manor stood on the high cliffs did it get a little uneven.

Charles scampered off the shark's back, getting drenched as he plunged into the ocean and paddled ashore. Erik Shifted and scooped him up, drawing an indignant look, but Charles didn't try to wriggle out of the gentle hold.

Their clothes were still in the metal shack that was set back securely between the rocks, and they both dressed after toweling off.

"Glad you're back," Hank greeted them. "We have a visitor."

Charles raised his brows quizzically, Erik remained neutral.

"Does the name Warren Worthington III ring a bell?"

"Well, yes, it does," Charles answered, surprise coloring his voice.

"He arrived a few hours ago."

The telepath frowned curiously. "Warren is the heir to an incredible fortune," he told Erik.

"More than your humble fund?" came the gentle tease.

"I believe so."

"Hard to believe."

Because Charles had money and Erik had yet to wrap his mind around how much money his partner truly possessed.

"What does he want?" the Shark asked.

Hank shrugged. "Not sure. He said he wants to talk to the Professor."

Charles looked windblown, hair damp, clothes sandy. His pale skin had taken on a healthy tan in the past months – not at all like the professor type.

"Oh well," the telepath muttered. "Let's get this over with. I abhor social gatherings of this kind."

Rich people, Erik translated. His partner was rich, but he didn't flaunt it. Apparently the Worthingtons were the different.

::Very:: Charles muttered as they walked inside.

No one expected to discover that the heir to such a fortune was actually a Cursed himself. Charles' eyes were wide with amazement and admiration as the young man, about their age, Erik guessed, unfurled two huge, white wings. Feathered wings.

Erik smiled to himself as Charles went into professor mode, asking a million questions, probably making Warren dizzy with everything he said and did. Worthington was the first airborne Cursed Erik had ever seen. He wasn't a shifter, he wasn't Witchbreed like Raven. And he asked to stay at the manor.

"With all your money you could buy yourself a place like this," Erik remarked, leaning back into an armchair, beer in hand.

The blue eyes of the winged mutant were cold, but his face reflected pain. "This isn't about money. It's about acceptance. My parents see the Curse. They wanted me to agree to cutting off my wings."

Charles looked horrified and Erik felt an old anger rise.

"I'm Cursed," Warren said levelly. "But I'm not an animal. What you do here is important. I want to help. And I want to know more about what I am."

"You're welcome to stay."

Warren smiled and he looked truly thankful.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

So they had another adult mutant. With wings. Erik shook his head.

"You collect them."

Charles stole a kiss. "And you'll always be my first."

The ambiguous meaning made Erik sputter with laughter. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, kissing him fully. "I hope so."

Blue eyes sparkled mischievously. ::And my last:: Charles added, voice filled with warmth and laughter and affection and so much more.

Erik knew he would be. No one but him; no one but Charles for himself. The smile that spread over his lips was gentle, loving, filled with the knowledge that this was them.

Charles' mind pushed against his, a familiar weight, a caress that had him sink into the contact and wonder how he had been able to be without it before.

Light steps had him glance over his shoulder and he glowered at Hank, who took one look, sighed, and walked out of the room. Charles chuckled.

"You're scaring him."

"Good."

Charles kissed him. ::You don't mean that::

No, he didn't. But sometimes interruptions killed the mood. The telepath smirked.

::As my sister would say: we should get a room then::

The Shark only smiled widely.

fin!


End file.
